"I would like to reiterate my conviction that martial law and dictatorship are not in the country's interest," he said.

Sharif also called for the reinstatement of senior judges sacked for refusing to approve the declaration of emergency rule.

Their replacements recently endorsed the re-election of Musharraf as president for another term.

The military has said that the president will hang up his uniform on Wednesday before taking the oath for a second five-year presidential term on Thursday.

"President Musharraf will take the oath as a civilian president on the 29th and he will pay farewell visits to various military headquarters on the 27th and 28th," Rashid Qureshi, Musharraf's spokesman, told the AFP news agency.

Sharif 'barred'

Earlier, Pakistan's attorney-general said that the former prime minister could be barred from standing in the election.